Posts Tagged ‘writing’

Singularity Effect vs. Psychic Numbing. Really interesting Vox article about our collective inability to feel empathy for addressing a problem when the number of characters in the story grows from one to two to 20 million. Make the numbers big and you lose a significant amount of engagement. Choose to communicate data or an anecdote – probably best to avoid trying both.

ACTION ITEM: Can you break your story, such as a use case, down into more relatable numbers, perhaps a personal anecdote told from the perspective of an individual? Or can you offer the solution to a smaller subset of a larger challenge so it seems more relatable – and achievable?

I get that skinny jeans are popular with the youngish set, especially in colors found nowhere in nature. But what I don’t get is 1. how do you not come down with DVT every time you squeeze into a pair and 2. fergawdsakes, how do you squeeze into a pair? Serious question – do you wet them first, hope they expand a bit, then blow-dry snug? Please – I really want to know.

Like this:

Coffee last Thursday with documentary filmmaker Mike Bloebaum who used to work with such legends as Irwin Rosten and Nicolas Noxon. Like me, he approaches every project with amazing enthusiasm and devotion – but the moment it’s over it’s completely forgotten, almost like it didn’t happen. Bloebaum says that Noxon called it “temporary enthusiasm”, which is a perfect description of every day of every job I’ve ever done.

Lisa was able to join me recently on a job near Walnut Creek, CA. – later we joined friends for dinner downtown. While waiting for them to arrive, we relaxed in the lounge with a cocktail. She ordered a Cosmo while I asked for an Old Fashioned. The bartender insisted I try using boogers in my drink. Boogers. Now I’m pretty open minded, and when it comes to cocktails, always ready to try something new. But dude, seriously, boogers? BOOGERS? Not happening. Uh-uh, no way/no how, never, never, never…

I participated in this year’s “A Day At Play” event sponsored by our local newspaper, The Union, in which readers are encouraged to supply photos and videos depicting locals enjoying a day out and about. The final assembled submissions will be printed/posted Saturday July 1. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peak at the photos and 10-second video I submitted:

I didn’t know this the last time I renewed my passport – about 6 months ago – but a bunch of countries won’t accept passports scheduled to expire within 6 months of your initial date of entry. For Shengen countries – we’re talking Europe here – it’s a mere three months.So check your passport – if it’s expiring this year or early next, get it renewed now.